The Demon Egg
by Blackmoon7875
Summary: Set in a Fantasy world, the half-breed human/gargoyle, Naruto, is summoned to partake in a quest that will change his life forever. AU and some OOC, please R&R thanks.
1. The Summons

**A/N**: This is a story that a friend and I are co-authoring, I figured I've been around here long enough I might as well post something and here it is. I hope you enjoy the story and the different twist on things that's going on in the story. Also this is **_VERY _**AU and the characters are very OOC, well some anyway, you might start reading it and think WTF? But I ask that you please give it a chance.

"_XX" Thought_

"XX" Speech

_**(XX) Flashback**_

_**I don't own Naruto.**_

**-****XXXXX****-**

One: The summons

The doe cautiously stepped out of the dense foliage in the Lesser Hell's Forest. Its ears swiveled about as it listened for any signs of danger. There was a strange scent in the air, but the smell of the fresh greens was too tempting to pass up.

Moving carefully, it stepped forward, trotting over to the pile of vegetables laid out for it. It was followed by two speckled fawns trailing closely behind their mother.

The doe bent her head down and began to nibble at the greens. One of her fawns kept walking in a circle, trying to find the source of the strange scent.

_**THWANG!**_

With a loud twang, followed by a terrified squeal, a small hoof caught in the trap. The rope closed around the fawn's ankle, jerking it to the ground. The doe and its other fawn fled, bolting into the forest. The trapped fawn called plaintively after its mother.

The hunter swore quietly under his breath and stepped out from the bushes he had been hiding behind. The fawn saw him, and caught his scent, and went crazy with fear. It squealed, eyes rolling wildly in its head. It got to its feet and lunged away; but the trap snapped it back to the ground again, where it lay squirming and struggling.

The hunter looked at the fawn, irritated. He'd wanted the doe, not this scrawny little fawn.

The hunter crouched down from his massive height. His stomach rumbled as he looked the fawn over. Game had been scarce this week. The hunter hadn't had anything to eat for a few days, now.

The hunter sighed. Even if he took the time to clean and cook the fawn, the meat would barely take the edge off his hunger.

The fawn shrank back as the hunter reached down. As his large hand closed around its leg, the fawn started kicking and calling loudly, trying to break free.

"Hold still." The hunter rumbled. His deep booming voice sent the fawn into a stunned fit. It didn't move.

The hunter flicked his wrist, and a long, serrated blade slid out of the gauntlet on his arm. With one careful swipe, he cut the fawn free.

The Hunter stood up, but the fawn lay at his feet, too scared to move.

"Go on, get out of here." The hunter said. He nudged the fawn with the toe of his boot. After a few seconds, the animal stumbled to its feet, then, it sprinted off as fast as it could, following it's mothers scent.

"Come back when you're bigger!" The hunter shouted after it. He watched the fawn go, and then shook his head. Muttering to himself, he knelt down to re-set the trap.

A few minutes later, the sound of hoof-beats made the hunter look up. He frowned sharply at the sound of human voices.

The hunter watched as four armored soldiers on horseback appeared, carrying the flag of Kind Modred.

The hunter watched as looks of fear spread slowly over the soldier's faces as they caught sight of him. He recognized the looks of disgust that they barely tried to conceal.

The hunter rose to his nearly eight-foot height. His blank, white eyes narrowed as he looked down at the soldiers.

For a second there was a long silence. Then, one of the soldiers spoke up.

"Are you the gargoyle Half-ling known as Naruto?" the soldier demanded.

The hunter looked at the soldiers with suspicion. "I'm Naruto." he said after a moment.

One of the soldiers dismounted from his horse. He approached Naruto and stood a few feet away from him; a scroll clutched in one hand.

"We have a summons for you, Naruto." said the soldier, "King Modred requests the honor of your presence. It's a very important matter. Will you come along willfully?"

Naruto took the scroll and looked at it for a moment. "I don't have a choice, do I?" he stated. From the uneasy looks on the soldier's faces, he knew he didn't.

"The king would greatly appreciate your cooperation." said a younger soldier. He looked nervous, and his hand kept straying to his sword hilt.

Naruto fell silent. He looked over the soldiers. All four of them were dressed in full armor, with chain mail beneath. They all carried swords. Naruto stared at the weapons for a moment, and then shifted his gaze to the soldier's faces. They looked afraid.

"Perhaps I don't wish to go?" Naruto suggested. The soldiers looked at one another for a moment.

One of the more brave soldiers stepped forward. He pulled his sword out of its sheath. The metal gleamed menacingly.

"King Modred demands your presence. You're lucky the king lets your kind live in his kingdom. What do you think gives you the right to turn down a summons from him? " Demanded the soldier.

Naruto growled softly. It would be so easy to send these annoying soldiers running in terror. Even now they looked ready to jump out of their skins. He could just snarl at them; send them running. After all, what right did the king have to make demands of him? The crown hadn't done him any favors. Besides that, he could easily dispatch the soldiers if they tried to bring him back by force. Naruto looked at the arrogant soldier, then at his sword.

Calmly, Naruto reached out and wrapped his hand around the sharp sword blade.

The soldier's eyes went wide with terror. He choked back a gasp and tried to wrench the sword free, but Naruto pulled it out of his hands. With a stony expression, Naruto gripped the blade in both hands, and calmly broke it in two. Then, he handed the blade pieces back to the soldier.

"You're right. When you put it that way, what choice do I have?" Naruto said to the trembling soldiers. "Let's go."

**-****XXXXX****-**

Kalias-Ker was the capital city. It was also the largest city in Modred's kingdom. Naruto knew this, but when the soldiers led him there, he was still startled by how loud and busy it was. The streets were lined with shops and vendors. The air rang with the shouts of peddlers, calling out the values of their wares. Other voices were raised in various arguments. Women in colorful gowns bargained for the vendors goods. And men sat on the side of the road or outside buildings. Beggars in rags sulked near the corners of several buildings.

Naruto blinked, looking around at the busy city. He was used to the forest; he was used to the quiet and the animals that roamed the forest. The noise and number of people he saw now was a little overwhelming.

"Keep going." Said a soldier when Naruto stopped. The four soldiers were positioned around him in a protective square as they started moving again.

The human inhabitants of the city were constantly at odds with the many Gargoyle villages around it. The two races clashed over everything from crops to hunting grounds. On any other occasion, Naruto would not have been able to enter the city without worrying for his safety.

Naruto knew this. As they walked by, the crowds would quiet down some. People stopped what they were doing to stare at Naruto and his escorts. Naruto kept his gaze focused straight ahead. His expression remained neutral. He knew that the humans were staring at him. After all, they considered him an abomination; a monster. It didn't matter his mother was one of them. They considered him unacceptable as a living thing. He did his best not to consider them at all.

"Out of the way!" Snapped the soldiers, shoving when the crowd didn't move fast enough. Naruto followed the soldiers.

The Soldiers led Naruto to Modred's castle. As they waited for the drawbridge to lower, Naruto began to have doubts. The king hated non-humans. Why would he invite one to the castle? Besides that, he was the king, the most important man in the kingdom. He had money, power, and thousands of soldiers at his demand.

What did he want with a half-breed who lived in a cave?

"Go on," said one of the soldiers. Naruto looked at the lowered drawbridge, then, uneasily, he stepped onto it. The Soldiers dismounted, and then led him inside.

**-****XXXXX****-**

The soldiers took Naruto to a pair of large, decorated doors. Two knights stood guard outside the doors.

"We brought the half-breed, as the king requested." said one of the soldiers. The knights stared at Naruto suspiciously; then, they stood aside and pushed the doorway open.

Naruto walked into the throne room. The soldiers followed, and then they instantly dropped to their knees before their king. Naruto didn't kneel.

The throne room was filled with brightly dressed servants. A throne rested in the back of the room; seating a middle-aged man with long, dark hair and a gray beard. The man wore a crown

A group of soldiers stood on the other side of the room, flanking a young man, dressed in purple robes. The man looked surprised when he saw Naruto.

But the king didn't draw Naruto's attention. Neither did any of the other humans. Instead, Naruto found himself staring at a large box, set before the king's throne. The box was black, with rubies studding its silver trim. The box was draped in chains and padlocks, impossible to open.

For some reason, Naruto found himself staring at the box, feeling unusually curious.

He was snapped out of his trance when a soldier jabbed him in the side.

"You're in the presence of the king! Kneel!" The soldier hissed to Naruto.

Naruto glared down at the soldier. "I'm comfortable standing." he answered.

The soldier looked angry, but before he could respond, the doors swung open again.

Naruto glanced over his shoulder. A figure stepped into the room. The figure wore a uniform that consisted of black boots, pants, tunic, and a cape and hood that concealed its head and shoulders... All Naruto could see of the figure were two green eyes, glowing from deep within a black cowl and veil. In its arms, the figure carried a clay jar.

Naruto glanced at the jar, then glanced up and was surprised to see a pretty young woman stroll into the room, following the cloaked figure. The woman wore a soft, cream-colored gown. Her skin was tan, and her blond hair fell to her shoulders in waves. Her sharp features were pulled into an angry expression. She was glaring at the robed figure.

Naruto frowned, forgetting about the box for a moment. He could tell the woman was anxious about something. Naruto didn't like that. Ever since he was young, he had this odd instinct to protect women who were in danger. It didn't make sense, since he rarely met any, and when he did he never knew what to say. Usually they just ran away screaming after they got a good look at him.

"What took you so long, Vaguer?" The king demanded as the robed figure kneeled.

"Forgive me, your highness." said Vaguer. He shifted the clay jar carefully from one arm to the other. "The maidens needed a little... Persuasion."

"You beast!" The tan woman blurted out, looking like she wanted to attack the robed figure, "Let my sister go! You promised!"

The robed figure looked at the tan woman. "At ease, Lady Temari, Your sister is fine."

The woman, Temari, shook her head. "You said if Ino and I came here, you'd let her go, now keep your word."

Vaguer looked at the girl for a moment, then nodded. "Very well." he said. Vaguer reached up and removed the lid from the clay jar. Then, he calmly turned it over, dumping out what looked like water.

Naruto and several soldiers stepped back in surprise as the water splashed across the ground, forming a large puddle. Naruto looked at the water in bewilderment, and then glanced at Vaguer and Temari. The young man in the purple robes watched as well.

Temari started toward the water, looking worried, but Vaguer grabbed her arm.

"Stay where you are." Vaguer said. "Let go of me!" Temari said to him, trying to pull away. Vaguer would not release her.

Naruto reacted instinctively. He moved toward Vaguer to make him release the woman. But something in the water caught his attention.

The pool of water seemed to be moving. It shifted, gathering together. The water started to take on a strange shape, that of a woman, lying on her side.

"What kind of sorcery...?" Naruto started to say, but then the water-shape stirred.

Then it coughed.

If the king was surprised, he didn't show it. The waters colors changed, until the shape had become real.

Where the puddle of water had been; now there was a woman. She looked to be about the same age as Temari. The woman had a pale complexion, and light-blond hair. She wore a tan gown; the color of deerskin. The woman was soaking wet and shivering.

"_A shape-shifter!"_ Naruto thought in amazement.

"Ino!" Temari exclaimed her voice filled with concern. She tried to pull herself away from Vaguer again, but he tightened his grip, sinking his sharp nails into her skin.

Suddenly, Vaguer let go of Temari, stepping back like he had been burned. Temari rubbed her arm, looking surprised.

The man in purple robes lowered his hand. One of his fingertips was glowing, like a dying coal.

"You should learn how to behave around a lady." The man said, looking firmly at Vaguer. Naruto realized that the man was a wizard. And he'd just attacked Vaguer.

Temari walked over to Ino and knelt beside her.

"Are you all right, sister?" she asked, helping her up. Ino nodded. But she had to grip her sister to keep from falling.

Vaguer glared at the wizard. He raised his hands to do a counter spell. "Why, you--"

"Vaguer," The king spoke up, "Be more polite to our guests."

Vaguer growled slightly, but lowered his hands. "I'll deal with you later, mage." he said to the wizard. The wizard just smiled cheerfully.

Naruto was unsure what to do. He knew he had been summoned for a reason, but he wasn't sure whether or not to speak up and ask what the reason was.

"What do you want from us?" Temari asked the king; holding her sister up.

"Patience, my dear." said the king, looking at Temari with a smile. "Not all of our guests have arrived yet."

Then, the king's smile faded as he glanced at the assembly gathered in the room. He looked at the Wizard, then the shape-shifter and her sister. After that, his gaze settled on Naruto.

The king's expression changed. For just a second his face darkened, and rage filled his eyes. Naruto returned the gaze, not letting any emotion show. Naruto knew he hadn't done anything wrong. The king had summoned him. The king's soldiers had threatened to use force to bring him back. But that didn't matter. He was a half-breed. That alone was reason enough to be hated.

"Vaguer!" The king snapped, taking his gaze off Naruto, "Why hasn't the Gargoyle Chief arrived yet?"

"I'm not sure, my Lord." Vaguer answered, even as the doors opened behind him.

Two Gargoyles walked into the room, one small, his body concealed by a brown cloak and cowl, the other so tall, he had to duck down to fit through the doorways.

A murmur rose from the kings attendants, who whispered to each other as the two gargoyles entered.

As Naruto caught sight of the Chief, hate surged through him like a hot wave. His lips pulled back over his teeth, and a growl rose from deep in his throat.

"Sasuke!" he whispered hatefully.

The Gargoyle chief was nearly nine feet tall. Pale blue hide rippled over a broad, muscled body. The chief was dressed in warriors' garb. Iron armor, a long cape made of animal fur, four different weapons at his side. Dark blue wings folded over his shoulders like a cape. His black hair was tied back away from a harsh, monstrous face. The chief's wicked-looking horns had been polished. They gleamed as he stepped forward.

The chief stopped walking as soon as he caught sight of Naruto. The chief scowled.

"I thought I recognized that stench." The chief snorted, "The smell of a filthy half-breed."

"What's this slime doing here!?" Naruto snarled, turning to look at the king. As he spoke, he extended his gauntlet blade, ready for combat.

"It's good to see you too, little brother." sneered the chief.

Naruto stepped toward the chief, "You're treachery isn't welcome here, Sasuke!" he growled, brandishing his weapon.

"I was summoned here!" Sasuke laughed, "What do you think you're going to do about it?"

Naruto snarled and started toward Sasuke. A few soldiers drew their weapons, ready to intervene if a fight broke out.

Naruto ignored the soldiers. He would've attacked the chief, but the smaller gargoyle stepped in front of the chief, holding a small sword. The smaller Gargoyle took a protective stance, raising the sword in warning.

Naruto paused, looking down at the gargoyle. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. This gargoyle was at least two heads shorted than Naruto. Probably more if he wanted to, Naruto could probably break this little one in two.

"_He must be a Gowordon."_ Naruto thought, using the Gargilian word for 'bodyguard'. Naruto studied the Gowordon. He could see the small gargoyles face. The gargoyles hide was reddish-brown, like sandstone. His face was decorated with dark markings. Perhaps war paint. His eyes were odd. Most gargoyles had slanted eyes, either solid white, yellow, or red. But this one had large, dark irises and pupils. Naruto could tell this Gowordon was very young. Just barely out of boyhood.

The young gargoyle's expression was concerned and determined. He looked up at Naruto without fear. His gaze told Naruto that he didn't want to fight. But he would to protect his chieftain.

Naruto glared at Sasuke for a moment, but then stepped back. The younger gargoyle relaxed slightly.

"All right, human." Sasuke said, turning to glare at the king, "Tell me the reason for this summons, before you waste any more of my time."

"He's a humble one." Ino whispered to Temari. Sasuke glanced at the two women, for an instant, he looked like he was deciding whether to laugh or be angry. Then, a nasty smile spread across his face and he winked at them. Ino shuddered.

The king stood up slowly. He clapped his hands twice and any talking going on in the room stopped.

"My subjects," the king announced, looking at the non-humans gathered in the room. Sasuke prickled slightly at being called a subject, but he said nothing. "I'm sure you all want to know the reason I called upon you. If you all look closely now, the reason will be revealed."

The king looked at some of his attendants, and then nodded to them. Two of his servants stepped forward. They were dressed in full armor, and wore thick, metal gloves. The attendants knelt beside the black box. Vaguer handed them both two rings of keys. They went about unlocking the box. Then, the attendants slowly opened the box.

-XXXXXX-

Well that's chapter one, what do you think? Should I continue or just stop here?

Please R&R Thank you very much.


	2. The Egg

Please enjoy.

"_XX"_ Thought

"XX" Speech

_**(XX)**_ Flashback

**Don't own Naruto**

--

2. The Egg

A chill filled the air. Whatever was in the box seemed to suck all the room's warmth away, replacing it with a cloud of dread. Quickly, the king's attendants left the room, as though fearing what the box contained. Only the soldiers, the king, his servant, and the summoned, remained.

Everyone in the room, from the armored soldiers, to the king himself, felt a shudder run through their bodies. Everyone, except Naruto.

Naruto's hands clenched into fists, and he gritted his teeth against a sudden yearning. He wanted to step forward and seize what was in the box. It belonged to him. Somehow, someway, it was his. Only his.

The soldiers, curse them, they were in the way! Hm. Perhaps if he fought hard enough, he could beat back the soldiers long enough to--

Naruto stopped, and then shook his head, trying to clear it. Where in the world were these strange thoughts coming from?

The servant Vaguer had slipped on a pair of black-smith's gloves. As Everyone watched intently, He reached into the box, and removed an object wrapped in layers of silk.

Very slowly and deliberately, Vaguer unwrapped the object.

The cloth fell away to reveal a large, oval-shaped object. The thing was the size of a small melon. Its surface was the color of iron, and thick, red veins ran along its surface.

Naruto drew his breath in quickly. His pulse quickened. The yearning returned, so intense that it caused a dull ache in his chest. Naruto gazed longingly at the object Vaguer held. He knew it was a treasure, worth more than any king's fortune. It was a priceless treasure, and it was his. All his. The dark gray skin of the object seemed to shimmer like diamonds. The red veins were more delicate then rubies. The jewel was alive, wanting him, calling to him, all he had to do was reach out and--

"Oof!" Naruto was startled when a soldiers club jammed into his midsection. He grabbed his front, reeling from the unexpected blow. He turned to glare at the soldier, and then froze in surprise. He glanced at where he had been standing and where he was now. Somehow, he had traveled twenty feet without knowing it. Naruto blinked slowly, rubbing his bruised ribs. Then he looked at Vaguer.

Vaguer stood less that two feet away. Their eyes met for a moment. and Naruto thought he caught a glimpse of a misshapen face within the cowl.

Everyone in the room was staring at Naruto. His embarrassment got rid of what was left of his other emotions, and he sheepishly returned to where he had been standing.

Vaguer cleared his throat, once again drawing attention to himself and the object.

"As the king said, this egg is the reason you were all summoned." Vaguer announced.

"_An egg?"_ Naruto thought. Was that what the thing was? Why such strong feelings over an egg?

"THIS is what you called us here for? Some stupid egg?" Sasuke snapped. He was starting to wonder if this was a joke.

The human wizard scratched his head, tilting it slightly as he looked at the egg.

"Well, if you want my honest advice, I need to know, are you going to make an omelet or are you going to bake a cake?" he asked, looking at Vaguer with a mischievous grin.

The king cast a dour look at the Wizard. Vaguer glared at the wizard in annoyance. Out of the corner of his eye, Naruto saw one of the sisters, the one called Temari, cover her mouth, and she was trying to hide a laugh.

The Wizard must've noticed too, because he flashed the sisters a grin.

"That egg," Vaguer said, a scowl in his voice; "Is worth more than the lives of everyone in this room."

The king looked uneasy at the statement, but he nodded in agreement.

"Why so valuable?" this voice was new. It took everyone a moment to realize it was the Gowordon who spoke up.

"This egg," said Vaguer, "Is to be a gift to Diabolus."

The room filled with shocked murmurs. Obviously, the attendants had known nothing about it. The summoned were equally surprised.

"What!?" Sasuke let out, his eyes going wide with disbelief. Now he was sure this was a joke.

"Diabolus is real?" Ino whispered to Temari. "He can't be..."

Naruto looked at Vaguer. Then, seeing that he could read nothing of the creature's expression, he turned his attention to the king. The king was frowning, his expression serious.

"_Diabolus?"_ Naruto thought to himself, _"It can't be!"_

Diabolus was a monster of legend. Some said he was the result of a violent rape between a siren and an incubus. Others claimed he was a fallen god, whose handsome appearance and grace captivated anyone who looked upon him. Legend had it that for all his beauty, Diabolus was as cruel as a hundred demons. It was rumored that he was the greatest warlock in the world, and kept himself young by eating the young of all races.

Naruto shook his head. Diabolus wasn't real. He was a story told to frighten children.

"I'm sure you've all heard of the kingdom of Ire." Vaguer stated. This statement was met by silence. Ire was an entirely different country, separated from Kalias-Ker by demonic forests and deadly roads. The kingdom was said to be inhabited with perfect beings. None of them had traveled their before.

"You must all serve as armed guards for this egg. Along with the king's finest soldiers, you will escort the egg to Ire, and present it to King Diabolus as a gift from King Modred. If you have any questions, now would be the time to ask."

For a moment there was silence. The Gowordon spoke up first.

"Why don't you just send your own soldiers to Ire?" he asked. The Chief gave him a look, annoyed that the young one spoke out of turn.

The king answered, "This undertaking is too dangerous for my soldiers. They'd never be able to protect it."

The shape-shifter frowned sharply. She'd re-gained her strength, and was in the mood to fight.

"You drag us from our homes without explanation, threaten us with force, and expect us to take on a long, dangerous quest for you?" Ino demanded. Her sister nodded in agreement.

"He is the king. You have no right to question him." Vaguer said calmly, "However, His highness graciously saw fit to make this quest worth your while."

Before Ino could retort Sasuke stepped forward.

"HOW worth our while, human?" the chief demanded, folding his arms across his chest. He was still angry at the king's high-and-mighty behavior, but his interest had been peeked.

"If you successfully complete the quest, I'd be willing to grant each and every one of you one unconditional request. Within reason, of course." the king stated.

"You'd grant us any request?" the gowordon said, sounding amazed. Vaguer nodded, but didn't look at him.

"Anything you need." Vaguer said, keeping his stare on Naruto, "The king could give you five times over."

The half-breed sighed, so quietly no one heard it. "I doubt that." he murmured sadly.

Sasuke rubbed his chin thoughtfully. His expression was impossible to decipher, but his white eyes gleamed with guile. The king's offer intrigued him.

"And if we don't wish to accept this mission?" asked Temari.

Vaguer glanced up, one by one, his eyes met those of every one of the summoned.

"Diabolus is expecting this gift," said Vaguer, as his gaze traveled around the room, "It is somewhat of a peace offering. If he fails to receive it, no doubt he will take offense. When Diabolus is offended, he starts wars. If he were to wage war against Kalias-Ker, he would wipe out men, women and children of all races. Our kingdom wouldn't stand a chance. No one will be forced to take up the quest, but heed my words. If any one of you turns and leaves, and the egg fails to reach its destination, what will you say to your families, your friends, when they are ravaged by a war YOU could've prevented?"

Vaguer fell silent after that. His gaze settled on Naruto.

Naruto's pale eyes stared back at the king's servant. They were hard, revealing no emotion. If he was affected by Vaguer's words, he didn't show it.

Vaguer's eyes narrowed for a moment. Then he looked away.

The black-clad servant lifted the egg for a moment, as though consecrating it, then, he held the item out; an offering to the summoned.

"If you accept the quest," said Vaguer, "Lay your hand on the egg and give your oath."

For a moment, no one moved. The summoned looked at each other, all of them thinking intensely.

Naruto took a breath, then started to walk forward. Before he could, Sasuke spoke out.

"I don't like this." the Chief said to the king, "It could be a human trick."

The king bristled. "You doubt my honor?" he asked. Sasuke scowled. "The honor of a human isn't worth the spit on his tongue."

Sasuke paused, then glanced as his gowordon. He pressed one hand against the young ones lower back, and shoved. The Gowordon stumbled forward.

"You, go touch it. I want to see what happens." Sasuke said to his guard. The Gowordon looked at him for a moment, then nodded.

The young gargoyle stepped toward the egg. All eyes were on him. The gowordon raised his hand, hesitated, then, carefully, he touched egg.

As everyone watched, the Gowordon grew tense. His eyes went wide for a moment.

The Gowordon started shivering. Staring in amazement, he lifted his other hand then placed it on the egg. He just stood there, head bowed, both hands resting on the egg. He was shaking violently. Then, after a moment, he looked at the king.

"I give you my oath." The Gowordon said. The young gargoyle took his hands off the egg, then fell to his knees.

Sasuke looked surprised for a moment. The chief stepped forward, grabbing the gowordon's shoulder and yanking him to his feet. The gowordon swayed for a moment, looking exhausted. Sasuke whispered something to the gowordon, his expression angry and uneasy. The Gowordon took a breath, then said something to the chief no one else could hear. Sasuke glanced suspiciously at the egg, then he pushed the gowordon aside and started toward it.

"Don't touch the egg!" The words exploded from Naruto's mouth before he knew what he was saying. But once they were out, he couldn't take them back, he didn't want to. Sasuke was violent. He was cruel, and he liked to smash things. Naruto didn't want him anywhere near that egg.

Taking a few steps forward, he started toward his half brother. Two soldiers crossed their lances in front of Naruto, blocking him. He growled at them, his whole body quivering in rage.

Once again, everyone stared at Naruto. But the half-breed didn't care. All he knew was he did not want his brother touching the egg.

Sasuke looked bewildered for a moment, then he smiled smugly.

The Gargoyle Chief stepped forward. Then, brazenly, he pressed one palm against the egg.

There was a burst of red light, and Sasuke flew back as though a giant hand had picked him up and threw him. Sasuke crashed into the closed doorways with a grunt of pain, then fell to the ground. The stone archway above the door was cracked where the chief's head had struck it.

Naruto looked surprised. He wasn't the only one. The sisters glanced at each other, and the human wizard grimaced.

The Gowordon moved quickly. He went to his chief's side. The gowordon reached down and gripped the chief's arm to help him up, but was shoved away.

"Blasted thing!" Sasuke snarled, rising to his feet. He drew out a large battle axe, and instantly the soldiers had all their weapons drawn. Sasuke moved toward the egg.

Vaguer stepped back slightly, and the soldiers surrounded him protectively. They all pointed their weapons at the Gargoyle Chief,

Sasuke paused a moment, looking at the soldiers. His wings were spread aggressively, his fangs bared in a snarl.

"Mark my words, humans," Sasuke growled, "If this so-called summons was a cover for you to make an attempt on my life, my clan will--"

"Please," Vaguer stepped forward, kneeling before Sasuke while covering the egg protectively, "I can assure you, Chieftain; the only reason we summoned you was because we desperately need the help of you and your great clan. We know very little about this eggs magic. We did not know it was dangerous to such a powerful race as yours. Please accept our humblest apologies."

Sasuke scowled, glaring warily at the egg. "Didn't know it was dangerous?" he said with sarcasm, "Well, it's lucky you're wearing gloves, isn't it?"

Sasuke looked at Vaguer, as if debating whether or not to attack him. Then, with a faint growl, he turned his back on the king's servant and stormed toward the door, putting his weapon away.

The chief walked past his Gowordon, but the young gargoyle didn't follow. Instead, he just stood their, gazing at the egg, as if in a trance.

"Joh!" The gargoyle chief bellowed, "Come on, Boy! We're leaving!"

The gowordon, startled out of his trance, turned quickly and followed his chief out the doors. Naruto watched them go, a strange look in his eyes.

Vaguer watched them leave. Then, he glanced around the room. "Now, any other who wishes to accept, step forward."

_**-**__**XXXXX**__**-**_

Joh was uneasy as he and his chieftain left the throne room. He was feeling strange. The egg had felt cool against his hand, and as soon as he touched it, he'd felt something moving beneath the shell. He'd wanted to protect the egg; he'd wanted to protect whatever was inside it. When he stopped touching it, he'd been struck by such a feeling of loss...

Suddenly, Joh felt a harsh blow to the back of his head, and he stumbled forward and fell.

"Idiot!" Sasuke snarled, "Why didn't you touch the egg!?"

Joh lay stunned. He blinked, trying to clear the stars from his eyes. "I-I did, Sasuke." he said, trying to get up.

Sasuke put his foot on his guard's lower back and applied pressure. He pinned the boy to the ground.

"Then how is it," Sasuke said, his voice growing louder with each word, "That cursed thing threw me across the room, but a miserable little scrap like you remained unharmed!?"

"I don't know, chieftain," Joh gasped, struggling to get the words out, "But I swear, I really did touch the egg."

Sasuke looked down at the Gowordon. Then, he took his foot away.

Joh stood up slowly. Without waiting to see if he was all right, Sasuke continued onward.

"Sasuke?" Joh said. The chief glanced at him. "What is it, boy?" he demanded. "I give you my word," Joh said, "I really did touch the egg. I wouldn't risk your life, chieftain."

Brutis stared at his guard thoughtfully. Deep down, he believed him. The entire clan had raised Joh, but he belonged to the gargoyle chief, Ever since childhood, he had been groomed by Sasuke to be a skilled 

warrior and a loyal bodyguard. The chief had done all he could to train the boy. When Joh made a mistake, he corrected him. Either with blows or words, depending on the situation. Sasuke felt little love for Joh, but he trusted him.

"Well, don't just stand there." Sasuke growled, "We need to gather supplies."

"You're going to accept the quest?" Joh said surprised. The Gargoyle chief smiled slightly.

"You know that little village on the other side of the river?" Sasuke said. Joh nodded slowly. The human village was roughly a mile away from the Gargoyle Village; separated only by a small river and a bit of woodland. Often, the gargoyles and humans clashed over ownership of game. Although the gargoyles almost always won these disputes, humans still posed a threat. Especially where gargoyle children were concerned.

"Well, wouldn't it be a nice addition to our clan?" Sasuke asked. Joh paused. The human village rested on very fertile land. If the humans weren't there, then they could claim the land. More room and food meant more children could be born. More children meant more warriors; and that meant a stronger; safer clan. Aside from that little village, there were no humans for miles around.

"Do you think the king will really give the land to our clan?" asked Joh. Sasuke smiled slyly.

"The king really wants that egg of his to arrive in Ire safe and sound." Said Sasuke, almost cheerfully. Joh thought about it, then nodded.

"Well, then, that's what we'll do." Sasuke said, "We'll go on this little quest, and we'll keep the egg safe... as long as the king gives in to our demands."

Joh stopped for a moment. "And if he doesn't do as we demand, the egg won't make it to Ire, will it?" He said, realizing his guardian's plan.

Sasuke smirked softly. "Now your learning, boy." the chief said, continuing on.

Joh didn't follow. "Chief," the gowordon said, sounding worried. "What is it?" Sasuke asked without turning. "I gave my oath..." Joh said uncertainly.

Sasuke paused then glanced at his charge, frowning. "Honor is an important matter." The chief admitted, "But, since humans have none, exchanging oaths with one means nothing. Besides, what means more to you, the welfare of your clan, or what the humans think of you?"

Before Joh could answer, Sasuke ended the conversation. "Now, stop asking such stupid questions. You're here to follow orders, not to think."

Joh bowed his head and followed his chief. Both were silent the rest of the way.

_**-**__**XXXXX**__**-**_

Naruto stood, feeling strangely uneasy. The remaining summoned stood on the other side of the room. The Shape-shifter and her sister were holding the stunned wizard. Naruto hadn't liked what he'd just seen.

The wizard had touched the egg, wanting to test it before the girls touched it. At first, it looked as though he would be all right, but then he fainted, the hand he'd used was slightly burned. In spite of that, the girls also touched the egg. The one known as Ino looked like she'd faint as well, and Temari's hand had been lightly shocked. Both accepted the quest.

There was a moment's pause, when everyone glanced at Naruto. He was the only one who hadn't touched it.

"Well, Halfling" Vaguer said to Naruto, "What choice will you make?"

"_Do not accept."_ Naruto thought, staring silently at the egg. _"Don't get yourself into another one of these messes."_

Years ago, he'd gone on another quest. An elf-woman had hired him to be her guardian as she traveled with a human girl. They were on a journey to clear the name of a Dragon-lord on trial for murder. Before that quest, Naruto's life had been difficult, but simple. During the quest, he had eventually found himself; Fighting savage bounty hunters, Dodging flesh-eating kelpies, putting up with a revoltingly arrogant dragon lord and a mischievous pixy, falling in love with a mysterious elf, dying, returning to life, taking a mate, having a son, and nearly becoming a hero.

"_Turn around now."_ Naruto thought to himself, _"Turn around right now and walk away."_

He tried, he really did, but it was like his feet had turned to stone. They wouldn't move.

Naruto stared at the egg. Before, as he'd watched the others touch it, he'd been struck by overwhelming feelings. None quite as strong as the urge to protect the egg. It was his possession, it belonged to him, somehow.

But now that he actually had the choice to make, his noisy emotions were giving away to a Nagy little voice called common sense.

"_Sorcery."_ Naruto thought, _"That's why you're drawn to it. Everyone else probably felt the same thing. It's a spell and you want nothing to do with it. Don't get involved, Naruto. Turn around and walk away."_

He kept staring. He couldn't walk away from it. If he did, some one else would take it. He couldn't allow that. No one else could protect it properly. He was the only one who could care for it. It belonged to him. It needed him.

Naruto walked forward. After a few moments, he was standing in front of Vaguer; looking down at the cloaked figure. Vaguer stared at him, waiting.

Naruto looked down at the egg. He closed his eyes, then he reached out and touched the egg; bracing himself for the pain.

The first thing Naruto felt was how cool the egg was. Its surface felt as smooth as silk. He shifted his hand slightly. Suddenly, he felt a hard thump against his palm from within the shell. A shiver ran through his body. There was no pain.

"What is this?" he murmured.

Ever so faintly, the king made a gesture to his soldiers. Naruto was too enthralled with the egg to notice.

Suddenly, Vaguer stepped back, taking the egg out of Naruto's grasp. Naruto, instinctively moved forward, not wanting to break contact with it. He heard the soft clink of metal shifting, and saw the soldiers slowly, almost casually, reaching for their weapons. Goliath stepped back, reluctantly.

"Your service to the crown is greatly appreciated." Vaguer stated, addressing the summoned, "And it will not soon be forgotten. Preparations all ready have been made; you'll leave in the morning." As he spoke, he handed the egg to a few soldiers. The soldiers cautiously wrapped it, then put it back in the box, closing and locking it up once more. Naruto never took his eyes off it.

"Wait, what are you doing!?"

Naruto glanced at Temari and saw she was speaking to some soldiers. The soldiers had carried away the human wizard, and now were trying to do the same to a barely-conscious Ino.

Temari gripped a soldiers arm, trying to pull him away as he picked up her sister.

"Don't worry, your sister will receive the best medical care the crown can provide." Vaguer said to Temari. "In the mean time, a banquet has been prepared for all our guests. Why don't you eat while we take care of your sister?"

Temari glared at him. "I'd rather stay with my sister."

For just a moment, Vaguer was silent. Then, "Of course. The guards will show you away."

Temari looked at Vaguer; suspicion apparent on her face. Slowly, she followed a group of soldiers out of the door, glancing once or twice over her shoulder as she did.

Naruto watched the doors close behind them. With a sinking sensation, he realized that he was alone now. Other than the King and his consorts.

"You never said anything about your oath." The king stated, speaking directly to Naruto, "Will you give your word to serve on this quest?"

Naruto hesitated. Before, when surrounded by the other summoned, he hadn't been worried about the king. But now he was struck by a case of nerves.

"I... I am unsure," Naruto said. Then, after a pause, "Why me?"

Yes, why him? He had no considerable skills for the king to notice. He was strong, good at fighting with brute force and a decent hunter. But any pure-blooded human or gargoyle could provide the same services. Probably better than he could. And a pure-blood would draw less attention when traveling. He wasn't really clever, or valiant. He wasn't an expert swordsman, or archer. He wasn't a legendary wizard, or a fearless hero.

So, why did they summon him?

"Don't look too much into it." Vaguer said coolly, "We summoned many others before you and this group. Though the others were summoned for obvious reasons, you were more of a last resort."

Naruto glanced at the ground. _"Why am I not surprised?"_ He thought wearily.

As he examined the stone floors, carpeted by a rich red and gold rug, he found himself gazing at the box again.

Vaguer noticed him staring, and spoke up. "When you touched the egg... were you hurt badly?"

Naruto blinked, surprised at the question. "No. I didn't feel a thing." he stated.

Vaguer nodded slowly. "Does the king have your oath?"

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes, I give my oath." He sighed, with great reluctance. For some reason, he just couldn't say no.

Vaguer waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. "Very well," he said, as if he didn't care either way. Then, with slight distaste, he added, "The soldiers will take you to the banquet hall; after you make yourself more presentable."

Naruto paused at that last statement, wondering whether or not to take offence. After a moment, he decided against it. He lived in the forest; occasionally bathing in a stream that was an hours walk away on a good day. Of course he wasn't presentable to the royalty; who had servants to draw their heated rose-water baths for them.

"All right." He said. He glanced at the egg once more, and then turned to walk out of the throne room. To his surprise, he was soon flanked by two soldiers.

"What are these for?" he asked, looking at the soldiers.

"They are going to show you to your room." Vaguer explained.

Naruto blinked in surprise. "My room?"

His room, it turned out, was a cozy little chamber near the castle gardens. It wasn't fancy; four stone walls, with Modreds gold and purple banner draped over the wall. A simple, straw-stuffed mattress with a large pillow and blanket decorated one side of the room. A large, wooden tub took up most of the other. Naruto looked at the room, uncertain what to think. The soldiers left him, shutting the door behind them.

Naruto walked over to the other side of the room. He pushed aside the banner, revealing a window that looked out into the garden. It was a nice view. The gardens were well kept; and as the sun set, it cast a peach-colored glow over the flowers.

Naruto stood still for a moment. A cool breeze wafted by, carrying the scent of flowers and fruit trees. The soothing scent did nothing to calm his nerves, though.

"_Another quest; this time to a city no one knows anything about, in order to deliver a cursed egg to a king who is not supposed to exist."_ Naruto thought as he looked into the garden. Then, he sighed. _"What have you gotten yourself into now?"_

_**-**__**XXXXX**__**-**_

Well here's chapter two, I hope you enjoyed it.

And please **R&R **thank you.


	3. Making Friends

Here's chapter 3.

"_XX"_ Thought

"" Speech

_**(XX)**_ Flashback

_**Don't Own Naruto**_

--

3. Making Friends

Naruto splashed cold water on his face, and then shuddered. _"If my face isn't clean, at least I'm wide awake now." _He thought. Then, he gazed down at the wash basin. He could see his reflection in the water. It wasn't often he saw his reflection and it usually made him wonder what his parents had been thinking.

Somewhere, he knew, there were other half-lings. He also knew that some races actually mixed well. Naga's and elves, for instance, always produced children of Nobel blood. Dwarves that mated with goblins produced some of the best metal smiths in the world. Gargoyles and humans, however... Naruto sighed.

A soft knocking on the door made him glance up. He paused a moment, then he walked over and opened the door.

Two female servants were waiting outside the doorway. For a second, they just stared at him, slightly scared looks on there faces.

"Yes? What is it?" Naruto asked. His voice seemed to bring the servants out of their daze. One of the servants straightened, and then spoke. "We were sent to ask you if you wish to attend the banquet."

"Banquet?" Naruto repeated. Then, he remembered. Didn't the king's servant, _"Vaguer, wasn't it?"_ say something about a banquet being prepared for the guests?

Naruto paused. He frowned remembering what Vaguer had said. "You sure the king won't mind?"

"The king won't be attending. The meal was prepared for the questing party." said the servant, "If you wish, we'll escort you to the dining hall."

Naruto thought for a moment. It had been more than a decade since he'd eaten with other people. He didn't think he remembered how to make dinner conversation.

Then again, after four days without food, he doubted a little awkward silence would spoil his appetite.

Unless...

"Will the gargoyle chief be there?" Naruto demanded, tensing slightly.

"No," said one of the servants, shaking her head. "The chief left, and it's our understanding he won't return till morning."

Naruto relaxed slightly. "All right," he said, "In that case, I'd be happy to accept your king's hospitality."

Naruto left his room, and started down the hall. When the servants didn't follow, he glanced at them with a raised eyebrow.

"Is something wrong?" he asked. The servants looked at each other, then at him.

"It's just that... you sounded like you don't like the chief." said one of them. The servant seemed surprised.

Naruto nodded. "He and I are not on the best of terms."

"But don't all gargoyles do whatever the chief tells them to?" asked one of the servants.

Naruto looked at the servant, and then smiled slightly. "I'm not a gargoyle."

**-**_**XXXXX**__**-**_

The servants took Naruto to the dining hall. It was a large, elaborate room. Banners baring Modreds crest hung from the walls, and in the center of the room was a long table; looking like it could sit at least a hundred people.

Naruto stopped walking when he saw the feast that had been set out. The table was loaded with fresh-baked breads, wheels of cheese, bowls filled with fresh. Just-ripe fruits, cooked vegetables, and all sorts of meats... The centerpiece of the banquet was a whole roasted ox.

"_I'll say one thing of Modred,"_ thought Naruto, looking at the different foods greedily, "_He's not stingy."_

The servants led Naruto to the table. One of the servants pulled out a chair for him. Naruto was slightly surprised by the polite gesture.

"Uh, thank you." he said after a moment, sitting down. The servants took Naruto's plate to fill it with food, but he stopped them.

"You don't have to do that," he stated. It felt strange to have others wait on him. "I'd rather serve myself, anyway."

The servants seemed surprised, but didn't protest. They gave Naruto the plate, then turned and walked down to another section of the table. Naruto didn't watch them go. He glanced at the chairs in front, then to either side of him. He seemed to be the only one there. He shrugged, and then went about filling his plate.

Naruto placed four loaves of warm bread beside his plate, and then he tore a drumstick off a turkey. From the vegetables, he filled his plate with ten boiled potatoes, drenched in butter and herbs. Then, with a slight smile, he leaned forward and ripped a leg and thigh off the ox. He looked down at the food for a moment, and then dug in.

Naruto quickly cleaned his plate, and still had room for seconds, then thirds... It was quite a while before he managed to sate his hunger.

When he finally did finish, Naruto belched, then lay back in his seat. He folded his hands over his stomach, a content expression on his face.

That's when he heard a very quiet cough. He sat up quickly and glanced around. That's when he saw the two sisters, sitting across from and a little to the side of him. He blinked, wondering how he could have missed them. The older sister was focused on her plate, a spoon in her hand and a slightly embarrassed expression on her face. The younger sister had a hand over her mouth and was trying very hard not to laugh.

"Ah..." Naruto struggled to find something to say. If he had known there were ladies eating with him, he would've been more polite. "Excuse me."

The younger sister lost control and started laughing. Naruto stared at her in bewilderment.

"Don't mind my sister." Said the older one, offering Naruto a smile.

"I'm sorry," giggled the younger sister, catching her breath, "I-it's just the look-- the look on your face when you saw us..." She glanced at Naruto and started laughing again.

Naruto relaxed slightly. Neither of the women seemed disgusted with him...

"So, what's your name?" asked the younger sister, looking at Naruto.

"Naruto." He said after a moment. "I'm Ino." said the younger sister cheerfully. She gestured to the older sister with her thumb. "And this straight arrow is my sister, Temari."

Naruto nodded "I'm pleased to meet you." He stated. He looked at the two sisters. They looked almost completely human, except for a strange glint in their eyes. The elder sister, Temari, was glancing at Naruto without fear or revulsion. Her younger sister was looking at him with curiosity.

Temari nodded. "Likewise.".

Suddenly, all three of them were distracted by a group of servants. There were four of them. Two went about clearing dirty dishes and three wheeled in a large cart; bearing sweet-smelling pies for dessert.

Naruto stared with a greedy expression as the servants set a pie in front of each of the summoned. The servants then departed quickly.

"I hear the king's baker is the best in the land." Temari commented, picking up a spoon and knife. She cut into hers.

Naruto picked a pie up and was about to bite into it when he remembered what had happened earlier. After a moment's hesitation, he set the pie down, and then picked up his own silver wear.

Naruto glanced at the spoon and knife. Holding one in each hand. It had been ages since he used silver wear, and this silver wear was small and delicate, more decorative than practical.

Ino watched as Naruto struggled with the silverware. He tried to cut up his dessert, but he was staring down at the pie with longing, wanting very much too just eat it the easy way.

Ino nudged her sister in the ribs, and then when she had her attention, whispered something in her ear. Temari looked at Ino in surprise, and then smiled.

"_Blast it, why are these things so tiny?"_ Naruto thought in annoyance. He was struggling to maneuver the small silver wear, but nearly sliced his own hand in the process.

"Mmm... Blueberry!" Ino said happily. Naruto glanced up and was surprised to see that Ino was eating her pie with her hands. She'd picked it up and bit into it. She grinned at him, blueberry filling surrounded her mouth. Temari also picked her own dessert up and bit into it.

"Mine's peach." She stated.

Naruto smiled and put down the silver wear. He picked up his pie, and ate half of it in one bite. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment, and then swallowed.

"Blackberry." He announced.

"Mm. These are pretty good." said Temari, taking another bite of her dessert. "My mother's cooking is better, though."

After they were finished eating, Naruto and the sisters stood up at the same time.

"So, what do you have planned?" Ino asked Naruto. "I'm going to turn in early." Naruto answered, "Probably a busy day tomorrow."

"Hm. Sounds like a good idea." Ino stated, thinking about the big, luxurious bed she'd seen in her room. She looked at Temari. "You coming, sis?" she asked.

Temari shook her head. "I want to check on that human wizard from earlier. Just to make sure he's all right."

"That sounds like a good idea." Naruto stated with a nod. He'd seen what the egg did to Sasuke. He was sure it could do much worse damage to a human.

"All right. Well, Good night, Naruto." Temari said, and then she looked to her sister and smiled. "Night, sis."

Ino waved, and then left quickly. She stopped at the doorway, and then glanced over her shoulder.

"Well? Aren't you going to escort me to my room?" Ino asked.

Naruto looked around for a second before he realized she was talking to him.

"Uh... yes, of course." Naruto said, sounding a bit bewildered. He went to Ino's side and led her out of the dining hall. She set her hand on his arm in a friendly way as they walked.

Naruto glanced over his shoulder at Temari, a startled expression on his face. The elder sister shrugged, smiling slightly.

_**-**__**XXXXX**__**-**_

When the two of them were gone, Temari's smile faded. Sometimes her sister was too friendly for her own good. But Temari wasn't worried. The Half-ling was crude, but he didn't seem to be a bad sort. And even if he was, Temari knew her sister could take care of herself.

Temari headed toward the medical area. She knew that human wizard had helped her, back in the throne room. She couldn't help but be worried about him.

She entered the medical ward. It was really just a room filled with cots and a stove. None of the cots were occupied.

Temari looked around, and then spoke to a healer, who was cleaning up.

"Was there a human wizard here?" Temari asked. The healer looked at her, and then nodded. "Oh, yes." the healer said, "He slept well for a while. Then woke up wanting to explore. Last I saw; he was headed toward the Royal mage's library."

Temari blinked. "The library? Where would that be?" she asked. "Go up the flight of stairs at the end of the hallway, it's the fifth doorway to the right." said the healer.

"Thank you." Temari said. She left the Medical ward and followed the healer's instructions. On the way, she passed a few scribes. Most of them were carrying armloads of books, or they were closely studying scrolls as they walked.

One of the scribes' arms' were so loaded with scrolls and books, they blocked out his face. Unable to see where he was going, he ran right into Temari. Both of them fell to the ground. Books and scrolls fell everywhere. A small handbag also fell to the ground, spilling small vials and powders.

"Sorry." Temari said, pushing herself up. She'd fallen on top of the scribe. The scribe groaned, and she realized that her knee was digging into his crotch.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Temari exclaimed, jumping to her feet. She reached down to help the scribe up.

"N-no problem." he said, his voice sounding high-pitched. Temari looked at him and realized that she was looking at the Wizard from earlier.

"Oh! I was looking for you!" Temari stated.

"Well, you found me." The wizard stated. Temari smiled sheepishly, then bent down to help him pick up his dropped items.

"So many books and scrolls... I thought you were one of the scribes." Temari stated. The wizard smiled. "Oh, no. I just thought I'd get some extra studying in before we set out on our quest. You can never know too much magic."

The wizard seemed to be looking Temari over, his gaze eventually settled on her face and he smiled. Not in an unpleasant way.

"I wanted to thank you for earlier. In the throne room." Temari said, brushing a lock of her hair back behind one ear. "I'm not sure what that Vaguer-guy is, but he made my skin crawl."

The Wizard nodded. "Muddled aura, that one." he stated, "Couldn't let something like that near a lady."

Temari smiled slightly. "Well, Can this lady get your name?" she asked the wizard.

"Kakashi." said the Wizard, "Level Ten master of potions, charms, enchantments... that sort."

"My name is Temari." said Temari, "From the Village of La-vally."

Kakashi was silent for a moment, and then said, "Are you a witch, My Lady?"

Temari blinked. "No, why?"

Kakashi took her hand and kissed the back of it. "Because, you seem to be the one doing the enchanting."

Temari stared at the wizard for a moment, and then chuckled. "Well, you certainly got those charms down." she said, "Did you get that line out of a book of poems?"

"Roman scroll." Kakashi admitted. Temari laughed.

"You look like you've got a lot to carry." she said, "Need some help?"

"Yes, thank you." Kakashi said. Temari handed him the re-filled pouch. "Could you get those scrolls over there?"

Temari did as she was asked, after helping Kakashi balance the books he was carrying.

"So?" Kakashi asked as he and Temari headed toward his room. "Why don't you tell me about where you're from...?"

_**-**__**XXXXX**__**-**_

Naruto closed the door to his room. He was a bit puzzled by what had happened in the banquet hall. The behavior of the two young sisters surprised him. But after a few moments, he decided he liked them. He'd have to watch out for those girls. As friendly as they were, they could get into trouble...

Naruto sighed and rubbed his forehead. Those two girls would be going on this 'quest'. So would a human wizard...

So would his brother.

Naruto growled slightly. He had a gut feeling Sasuke wouldn't pass up an opportunity to take from the king. Sasuke would accept the quest; then he'd milk all he could out of the king's offer.

Naruto wondered how long he'd be able to travel with the gargoyle chief before they tried killing each other.

Then Naruto's thoughts shifted back toward the egg. They would be escorting it all the way to Ire. Almost more than a month's travel away. What kind of egg would be that valuable? What creature did it come from? How had it been able to harm some of those who lay hands on it, but not others?

And, more importantly... How had it controlled his emotions?

Naruto, (unlike the passionate Gargoyles or fickled humans) had fairly decent control over his emotions. Having lost control like that... for no reason, disturbed him.

"_What kind of sorcery will that egg birth?"_ Naruto thought to himself. Then, he sighed. Too many questions for too late at night.

Suddenly tired, Naruto walked over to the bed. He took off his armor, travel pack, Gauntlet and sword belt, setting them aside. Then, dressed in nothing but his trousers, he laid down on the mattress. Naruto rested his head against the pillow and closed his eyes.

A few minutes later, he turned over. First on one side, then the other. He tried sleeping face-down, but he just couldn't get comfortable. He stood up and looked at the bed.

Naruto reached down and picked up the pillow. He tossed it aside. Then he pulled off the blankets and sheets. This left only the straw-stuffed mattress.

Naruto lay down on the mattress. Then he pulled his empty pack over his chest for warmth.

"_All the comforts of home."_ Naruto thought to himself. A few moments later he sank into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The next Morning, Naruto woke early to a faint commotion outside the window. He sat up groggily, looking around. At first, he wasn't sure where he was; then remembered.

"_Oh, right, the summons."_ He thought. He stood up and cracked his neck, then walked over to the window and glanced out.

Naruto was surprised to find almost a hundred armored soldiers gathered outside the castle. Most of them were on horseback, talking to one another. Vaguer was standing next to a man who appeared to be a captain. The King's servant wore a dark green cloak, still keeping himself fully concealed.

Temari and Ino were standing off to the side. Their pretty gowns had been replaced with soft, deer-skin tunics and trousers. Temari had her hair tied back; a crossbow slung over one shoulder. Ino wore her hair loose. The human wizard was standing with them; still dressed in his elaborate robes.

Naruto blinked. They weren't going to set out this early, were they?

There was a knock on the door to his room. He glanced over his shoulder as the door was opened. A few soldiers walked in.

"The King wants to let you know they'll be setting out in an hour." The soldiers informed him, "The others ate, but if you want breakfast, you can get what you need from the provisions."

Naruto shook his head, "I can't go yet." He stated. Naruto hesitated, than said, "I... I haven't finished packing. I'll need to go back to my, uh, cave, to get the rest of my supplies."

"Your home was searched, and no other possessions could be found." said a soldier coolly. "If, however, you have hidden supplies, we will send servants to retrieve them."

Naruto scowled. The thought of strangers rummaging through his home without asking angered him.

"I can do it myself, thank you." Naruto growled. He donned his armor, and then brushed past the soldiers. "If your king wants to set out, then go ahead. I'll catch up, if I can."

Naruto hurried away before the soldiers could say anything else. He didn't want to answer any questions. He never had been good at lying.

The truth was he had very few possessions he really cared about. He really didn't need any more supplies than the clothes on his back. And his weapons, of course.

He wasn't returning home to pack. He just couldn't leave without saying goodbye to someone first...

_**-**__**XXXXX**__**-**_

Well here's chapter 3, had a brush of inspiration last night and here we are. As always I hope you enjoy.


	4. Farewell

**A/N:** Something I realize I forgot to describe in the first chapter is Naruto's appearance, all I said was that he stood at damn near 8 feet tall. For this I apologize, as does my co-writer. His skin is a light ash grey color, with tribal like black markings covering his torso and some of his face, a side effect of being a half-breed. He has no hair, only three small horn like protrusions on his head, one right above his forehead, one on the very top of his head and the last on the back of his head at the base of his skull.

On his back he has two spike-like appendages where wings should've formed but never did only leaving the two spikes near his shoulder blades. Also when mad his eyes, instead of turning red or a golden color, turn to the color of his eyes in cannon….. That's all I can think of for now so enjoy.

"_XX"_ Thought

"XX" Speech

_**(XX)**_ Flashback

**Don't Own Naruto**

_**-**__**XXXXX**__**-**_

4. Farewell

The morning sun shone through the treetops; muddling the ground with shadow and flecks of light. Naruto moved through the forest; dead leaves crunching under his feet. He didn't follow any visible road or pathway. Naruto didn't need one.

He walked slowly. The truth was he wasn't in any hurry to reach the grave of his late wife. Deep down, there was a part of him that didn't want to visit the site. To dwell on the past, to remember how much he once had, only added salt to the wounds of loss.

Naruto pressed on. He couldn't leave without saying goodbye. He might not get a chance to do it again. As Naruto walked, he passed by a large apple tree. The branches were heavy with pink and white flowers. Naruto looked at the tree, and then carefully cut a small branch free, and then he walked on.

The grave wasn't spectacular. It was simply a spot in a clearing; marked with a large, white stone. Flowers and weeds had grown up around the stone.

Naruto felt a sharp pang of guilt. When he saw the grave. It had been a while since he'd come to tend to it. He set aside the flowering branch and knelt beside the grave. He tore up the weeds that grew over the stone and tossed them aside. As he did, he was able to make out letters carved deep in the stone.

B-E-L...

When Naruto's wife died, the two of them didn't have much money put away. Nevertheless, Naruto had gathered what coin he could, and spent it all on her grave stone. In the end, he'd been able to afford seven letters. No more, No less. He wanted to put more than her name, but since her name alone had been six letters long, he hadn't been sure what else to put. So, instead of her name, he'd had a different word engraved.

O-V-E

Naruto brushed aside the last of the weeds, revealing the final letter.

D.

Naruto gazed at the grave stone, and then ran his fingers over the word.

Beloved.

Naruto sat his hand on the stone. For a moment, he just knelt there, thinking. How long had it been now? Eighteen, no, nineteen years. Had it really been that long?

Naruto sighed quietly. He himself was about a hundred and forty-six years old. Nineteen years didn't seem to be a large amount of time to him. He remembered his life with Sakura like it was yesterday. Naruto closed his eyes as a painful, familiar emotion welled up in his chest. A mixture of sorrow, anger, and loneliness.

The last emotion hurt the worst. Though he should have been used to it. For the longest time, it had been the only thing he knew...

After the Elvin woman who'd raised him after he was thrown out of the clan died, he'd found himself alone. At seven years old, he'd been uncertain where he belonged. With a child's naiveté and no where else to go, he'd turned to his mother's race for compassion. He'd received no compassion. Instead, he received a beating so severe that it left him more dead than alive. After that, he found himself hated by other races, who tried to kill him for sport. At a very young age, he learned to trust no one. Gargoyle, Human, or otherwise.

Then, he met Sakura...

Naruto smiled sadly. Of all his memories of Sakura, none were quite-so-vivid as the first time he saw her. Naruto lay down beside the grave. He gazed up at the sky and let himself remember...

_**-(Flashback)-**_

_The tavern was crowded, smelly, damp, and dimly lit. It was one of Naruto's favorite places to be. The crowd was mostly composed of humans, along with one or two ogreish creatures. It was loud and raucous; composed mostly of farmers and soldiers. _

_Naruto was seated at a table in the back of the tavern. There were dozens of empty mugs scattered on the table top. Naruto was nursing his latest drink, and doing his best not to be noticed. It wasn't too hard. He had a tattered cape slung over his shoulders, covering his wing-spikes and hiding his frame. A large hood hid his horns, and cast a shadow over his face. Slouched at the table, he could've passed for a small ogre._

_Naruto wasn't in a good mood. He was almost out of money, and not nearly as drunk as he wanted to be. Naruto looked at his half-empty mug, and then downed the last of it in one gulp._

_He'd barely set the mug back down when a barmaid came over to his table. "Had enough?" she asked him without interest. Naruto drew out a few copper coins. What was left of the bounty he'd received from killing an outlaw. _

"_Will this get me another?" He asked, putting the coins on the table. The barmaid picked up the coins and walked away with a shrug. A moment or so later, she came back with a pitcher. She refilled one of his mugs, and then walked away without comment. _

_Naruto didn't watch her go. He took a swig of the drink, and then shuddered. The ale was sour, and almost made him gag._

_Naruto forced another mouthful down. No point in wasting alcohol. _

_Suddenly, there was a commotion, soft curses and murmurs of surprise, coming from the other side of the tavern. Naruto glanced up to see what the fuss was about. When he saw the cause, he nearly dropped his mug._

_A lady had walked into the tavern. _

_For a split second, Naruto thought she was one of the wenches that gathered outside pubs, scantily clad to show off what they were selling. Once he got a good look at her, he realized that wasn't likely. The lady was tall, long-legged and slender. Her face was attractive, the features sharp, yet almost child-like. Her body, on the other hand, was entirely adult. Her clothing consisted of a simple, sleeveless white gown, embroidered with silver. The cloth was nearly transparent. The deliciously curved body beneath was shadowed by the garment, but left little to the imagination. Her pink hair was tied back in a braid, and offered her front no concealment._

_In spite of the revealing attire, what drew Naruto's attention wasn't the woman's body. It was her ears. They were long, pointed, with multiple piercings. _

_An Elf._

_Naruto gaped in disbelief. An Elf! In this part of the kingdom?_

_Several bar patrons stared at her and muttered to one another. Some of them gestured to her, and some chuckled suggestively. The woman scanned the rough crowd. She seemed to look some of the males up and down, then nod in satisfaction. _

_Once Naruto got over his shock, he found himself examining the elf. He tried not to look but found his attention drawn to the titillating view her gown offered._

_Naruto settled back in his seat. With a sigh, he gave in to temptation and let himself look at her. Every other male in the bar was, and she didn't seem to mind. He sipped his drink as he watched her. The elf woman cleared her throat. She stood up straight and looked around with the air of one used to authority._

"_I am searching for a man." she announced. Naruto nearly choked on his drink, and most of the bar fell into stunned silence._

_The elf continued, "He must be strong, have good endurance, skill in combat, and he must be prepared to risk his life." "You must be some kind of bed-mate, Long-ear." one of the bar patrons called out. The rest of the bar broke out into raucous laughter._

_Naruto frowned, looking at the elf to see how she'd react. She answered the insult by taking a coin bag out of her gown and tossing it onto a tabletop._

_The mouth of the bag fell open, revealing that it was filled to the brim with glittering gold coins. _

_The laughter stopped immediately. Naruto stared at the coins in amazement. For one thing, he had never seen that much money before. But what really had him stunned was what the girl had done. No one reveals how much coin they are carrying. Naruto looked at the elf's face, wondering if she was a fool._

"_I am going on a long journey." she said to the bar-goers, "I have no guide or protector, and I require one."_

_Naruto ran his hand over his face, exasperated. Now he _KNEW_ she was a fool._

_The elf took out a gold shilling and held it up. It seemed to glow._

"_This is Elvin gold, one of the rarest treasures." she stated, "One of these coins is worth about a hundred regular gold coins. I will pay thirty of these coins to the one who volunteers to serve as my guide."_

_For a moment no one responded. The patrons in the bar spoke to each other, wondering if the elf was lying, or just asking for it. A few men and non-humans stood up, wolfish smiles on their faces._

"Stay out of it."_ Naruto thought to himself, staring at the tabletop in front of him. If that elf wanted to get into trouble, that was her problem._

_He glanced up and saw that a human soldier had approached the elf. _

"_A pretty one like you needs a skilled protector." the soldier said to her. He was a burly, handsome fellow. He flashed her a grin. "I and my comrades would be honored to escort you."_

_Naruto let his gaze travel to the soldiers companions. They had unpleasant smiles on their faces. _

_Naruto tensed. He'd seen the aftermath of what soldiers did when they captured a woman. It sickened him._

_Naruto stood up slowly. Keeping the hood of his cape pulled over his face, he walked toward the soldier. He kept his expression stony and mean._

_The soldier's smile vanished as he saw Naruto approaching. For a moment, he seemed intimidated by Naruto's size. Then the moment passed. With a scowl, the soldier drew out a saber. There was a hiss of metal as the other soldiers stood and did the same._

_This wasn't good. Naruto could take on this soldier and maybe one or two of his comrades no problem. But no way could he fight off all of his friends as well._

_Naruto thought quickly then reached over to the bag holding the coins. He picked up the bag and took out one of the coins, looking it over closely. Then, he scowled fiercely._

"_The wench is a fraud." He growled loudly, clenching the coin in his fist. "This coin's a fake." Naruto let the coin drop to the ground, then, he picked up the bag. "This money is worthless!" he declared and threw it. The bag hit the floor and fell open, spilling the coins._

_Exclamations of outrage and disbelief filled the tavern. Several people picked up coins to see if Naruto was correct, only to have them snatched away by others who wanted them. Quick as wildfire, a brawl broke out. The tavern goers tried to grab the coins, pushing and shoving each other, occasionally throwing punches and cursing loudly._

_The Soldier was distracted by the fight. Taking advantage, Naruto punched him in the jaw, knocking the soldier senseless. _

_As the soldier fell, Naruto grabbed the elf-woman's wrist. "Come on!" he said, trying to pull her out from the midst of the fight. Naruto saw that the soldiers' friends were approaching, and they didn't look happy._

_The elf-woman moved too slowly. And even if she ran, her pale dress stood out too much. She'd be easily followed. Naruto pulled off his cloak and slung it over the woman, covering her. Then, ignoring her _

_startled exclamation, he scooped her up and slung her over his shoulder. Without hesitating, Naruto ran, barreling through the crowd. He looked around for an exit and managed to escape the tavern through a back door, and, after bolting for a few blocks, he turned into an alley, hiding in the shadows._

_Naruto could hear the soldiers approaching. Naruto set the elf woman down and pressed her against the wall, shielding her with his body. He clamped a hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming._

_The soldiers were coming closer and after a moment, their footsteps came to a stop in front of the alleyway. Naruto stood completely still, hoping he would blend in with the shadows. For a seemingly endless minute, no one moved. Then Naruto heard the Soldiers footsteps fading into the distance. They hadn't seen him._

_For a few moments, Naruto just stood there. His breathing was heavy, but more from excitement than anything else. The elf woman said something. But between the heavy cloak draped over her and Naruto's body pinning her against the wall, she couldn't get the words out._

_Naruto pulled back from the elf-woman. He hesitated, then, quickly he pushed her out of the shadows, pulling the cape off at the same time._

"_What did you say?" he asked._

"_I said, 'well, that was exciting'." The elf woman answered, smoothing out the front of her gown. _

_She glanced up, and then looked around. Naruto backed further into the shadows._

"_I'm not sure what you want with me," said the Elf-woman, she was looking in his direction._

_Naruto stared at the elf. A woman had never spoken to him before, and for just a moment, he wasn't sure how to respond. After a moment, he turned his back on her and focused on putting his cape back on._

"_I want nothing from you." he stated, shrugging to get the cloth over his spikes "Just don't do a fool thing like that again."_

"_Fool thing?" said the elf-woman, eyebrows raised, "How were my actions foolish?"_

_Naruto frowned at the elf woman's cluelessness. "You don't just walk into a tavern, declare that you're alone and show a bunch of drunken thugs you're carrying a king's ransom in your skirts." _

"_I needed an able-body man. The tavern was filled with them." The elf-woman said. She paused, and then glanced at Naruto. "Come to think of it, I still need one."_

_Naruto paused, and then scowled when she realized what the elf was implying._

"_Good luck finding one." he said. Naruto pulled the hood over his head and brushed past the woman, walking away._

"_Oh, very well."The woman called after him, folding her arms across her chest. "Just give me six-hundred thousand gold coins and you can be on your way."_

_Naruto almost fell over. He turned to her. "Six-hundred-thousand!?" He exclaimed, turning to the woman, "Why would I give you money?"_

_The elf arched an eyebrow. "The bag you threw into that crowd was worth six-hundred thousand regular gold coins." she said coolly._

"_If I hadn't thrown that money you'd be bent over a table right now!" Naruto said, somewhere between growling and laughing with disbelief. _

"_I never asked you to save me." The elf woman stated. "You threw my money and tossed me over your shoulder all on your own. I didn't even speak to you."_

"_I saved your life! What more could you want!?" Naruto demanded, staring at the woman. Now he wished she __**HAD**__ just run away screaming at the sight of him. _

"_I didn't need you to save me." The elf woman answered calmly, "I do need that money for my quest, though."_

_Naruto took a few deep breaths, fighting his temper. He paced from one side of the alley to the other, thinking. Six hundred thousand. He would have to kill about fifty outlaws. If he sold himself as a laborer for two years, and sold all his weapons, he _MIGHT_ be able to pay off half the debt._

_He was _NOT_ going to sell his weapons. And he'd be damned if he put himself down to the level of some laboring beast. And as for outlaws... Naruto was no bounty hunter or mercenary. There was no way he'd be able to hunt down fifty outlaws._

_He sighed, rubbing his forehead in exasperation. Finally, he turned to face the woman. _

"_I don't have six-hundred thousand gold coins." Naruto said flatly, "I don't even have a copper shilling. Even if I _DID_ owe you money, I couldn't pay you."_

"_You seemed to have enough money to order a few dozen mugs of ale." the elf woman pointed out._

_Goliath threw his hands in the air. "_**BEFORE**_." he exclaimed, "I had money _**BEFORE**_ you waltzed in! I can't pay you!"_

_The elf stared at him for a moment. "Wait," she said, "Stand still for a moment."_

_Naruto stood still, puzzled. The elf-woman stepped toward him. She stood a few inches in front of him; so close that Naruto could hear her breathing softly._

_Naruto blinked, staring down at the woman. He couldn't remember the last time a girl had gotten this close to him. The woman reached toward his face slowly. Naruto's first instinct was to pull away, but he found himself unable to move. The woman was focused on his eyes, and he was mesmerized._

_Naruto's heart pounded like a war drum as the woman set her hand on his shoulder. Then, without warning she reached up and pushed Naruto's hood back, revealing his face._

_Naruto stumbled back away from the woman. He looked around, trying to find some shadow to hide behind._

"_No, don't run," The elf said gently, "Just wait a moment"_

_Naruto hesitated, but again, found himself obeying. The elf-woman moved toward him again. She reached out and touched his cheek. Naruto just stood there as the elf turned his face first one way, then another, like someone examining a horse at market._

_The woman brushed aside the rest of Naruto's cape, revealing his bare chest. She looked him up and down slowly._

"_You know," the elf -woman commented, "There are other ways to pay someone back for a debt. Not just with money..."_

_It took a second or two for the words to sink in. Naruto gaped at the woman in utter shock, his face flushing._

"_Uh, I... Y-you want... wh-what... why...Huh?" Naruto sputtered, at a loss. _

_The elf woman stepped back, nodding in satisfaction "You're hired." she stated. Naruto blinked, still trying to regain his senses. "What?"_

"_You're a tall, strapping fellow. Armed to the teeth. You even look like you've got a bit of Gargoyle in you. Do you know your way through Hell's Forest?"_

"_Uh, well, yes, I live there, but--" Naruto stumbled over the words. He'd never argued with a woman before, and wasn't sure how to go about it._

"_Then you're just what I need." the elf said with a shrug. "You will guide me and my companion through Hell's Forest, serving as a body guard as well as guide. If we run low on supplies, you will hunt for us. When we get through the forest, your debt will be paid off. It's either that, or you conjure six-hundred thousand coin pieces by the time I set out tomorrow. " _

_The elf woman nodded, satisfied with her own offer. "Well, don't just stand there gawping." she said, "Do you have a place to stay for the night?"_

_Naruto shook his head slowly, more from exhaustion than anything else. Things were happening too fast and he was starting to feel the effects of the bad ale he'd downed. _

"_All right, then. We'll get you a room at the inn me and my companion are staying at. Then we'll leave in the morning." The woman said. She gestured for him to follow her._

_Naruto went with her, uncertain what else to do. "Who are you?" he asked the woman, unable to believe all that was happening._

"_Hm? Oh, my names Sakura. You?" the elf looked at him curiously. "Naruto." Naruto answered._

_**-(End Flashback)-**_

Naruto opened his eyes. He knew the memory should have been a happy one, but he couldn't bring himself to enjoy it. To remember her as she had been, how beautiful, quick-thinking and lively as she used to be and to think of her now...

Naruto touched the grave stone again. Feeling a well of painful emotions. He took a deep breath, to keep from breaking down.

"_I'll come back to you, beloved."_ Naruto thought, looking down at the stone, _"And if I don't survive to visit your grave, then I'll join you wherever you are."_

That thought cheered Naruto up slightly. He stood. He glanced at the branch of apple blossoms he had picked. He lifted it up to set it on the grave, then stopped. For a few moments, he stood still, then, without thinking, he stuck the branch into the ground.

"_I'll see you soon, Sakura."_ Naruto thought. A warm breeze whispered through the trees. Naruto closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the wind play over his skin. Then he turned and walked back to the castle.

_**-**__**XXXXX**__**-**_

Okay, as most of you might've guessed already everyone in the story is older than in cannon. Here's a breakdown of ages so far so no one else is confused.

Temari – 28

Ino – 25

Kakashi – 30

Naruto – 146 (Gargoyles age _A LOT_ slower than humans. He appears to be in his mid twenties)

Sasuke – 190 (Appears to look mid to late thirties)

And when I introduce some of the others I'll give their ages as well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks for reading.


	5. In the Village

**A/N:** Here's chapter 5, it may be awhile until the next chapter because my co-author is having a bout of writers block along with myself. That's the reason that this chapter isn't as long as the others. Also I thought I'd give you a little hint about the character Joh, All I'll say is…. He's a half-breed as well and I'll leave it at that. _(hums a tune)_

_"XX"_ Thought

"XX" Speech

**_(XX)_** Flashback

5. In the Village

"Hey, guys, did you here? Sasuke chose the Runt to be his guardian!"

Joh bit back a growl as the male gargoyles behind him burst out laughing. Determined not to respond, he returned his attention to the supplies in front of him.

"And, you know what else?" The older male continued, "There's going to be an entire troop of armed humans traveling with them!"

Joh tried to focus on packing, but the three hecklers seemed determined to rile him up.

"It's odd," said one of the male's companions, "The Runt's never been chosen for the Warrior Hunt, so why would the chief pick him to be Gowordon?"

Joh gritted his teeth. Mentioning the Warrior Hunt was a cheap blow._ "Ignore them. Sasuke said to get these supplies packed." _Joh thought to himself.

"There's only one way for a runt like him to get in the chiefs good-graces. He may be the weakest male in the clan, but he wins his position by being the biggest tail-suckler there is." the older male stated. His friends snickered in response.

Joh dropped the wine-skin he was about to pack. It struck the ground and burst, spilling its contents into the dirt. Joh clenched his hands into fists and turned to face the three males.

"Why don't you keep your lying mouth shut, Fracas?" Joh snapped, glaring at the older male, "If you've got something to say, then say it to my face."

Fracas smirked. Though he was only half a year older than Joh, he was nearly a foot taller. He had a thick, mottled hide and large, twisted horns. His father was a warrior, and it showed. If not in his appearance, then in his arrogance.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you just challenged me, Runt." Fracas sneered.

"If you weren't even dumber than you look, you'd recognize a challenge when you saw it." Joh shot back before he could stop himself.

Fracas' mean smile vanished instantly. The other two males were silent, watching to see how Fracas would react.

"What did you say to me, you wingless Drakool?" Fracas snarled, lifting his head in a threatening gesture.

Joh couldn't use the customary body language most gargoyles used. But he didn't need to. His eyes narrowed, and he lifted his fists ever so slightly. But at the same time he forced himself to stay calm. He wanted to make Fracas attack first.

"If you didn't hear me the first time, then you should clean your ears more often," Joh said, "Because I doubt it's your big brain that's clogging them."

Fracas stared at Joh, too shocked to react at first. "You're not going to let him talk to you like that, are you?" one of Fracas' companions asked. Fracas' shock evaporated, quickly replaced with rage.

The other clan youths had noticed a fight brewing. Several males and females gathered around Joh and Fracas, eager to watch a fight. Joh glanced to the right and left, then shrugged. None of the others wanted Joh and Fracas to walk away peacefully.

"You'll pay for insulting me, Runt." Fracas snarled, his eyes dimming and clouding over in a red color. Spreading his wings menacingly, he started toward Joh. Joh didn't back away. He growled warningly. The sound was softer than the usual rumble most gargoyles made. Fracas snarled in response, a mocking leer in his expression. Joh's own expression hardened, becoming a cold, unreadable mask. He stood like a statue until Fracas was nearly on top of him.

Fracas lunged forward, slashing at Joh. But Joh evaded the blow. He dropped to his knees, while his upper body bent backward, almost in two. Fracas' claws skimmed over his head by mere inches. Thrown forward by his own momentum, Fracas stumbled and nearly fell on top of Joh. Joh twisted, getting back on his feet, and then sprung forward. His head connected with his opponent's bottom jaw. Fracas staggered back from the force of the blow, and in an instant Joh was on him...The crowd watching the fight didn't cheer. They could only watch in astonishment. Joh's movements were as fast and fluid as lightning. He repeatedly punched Fracas in the chest and stomach, each strike seemed as quick as the bite of a snake.

Fracas was stunned by the smaller Gargoyles speed, and couldn't decide how to react. Joh took advantage of his foes state. Breaking the flurry of punches, Joh changed tactics. His entire body seemed to whirl as he kicked out, striking Fracas in the face and neck. If it weren't for the violence behind his moves, Joh would've looked like he was dancing. Fracas didn't have a chance to fight back, or even defend himself from the blows.

This went on for several moments. Eventually Joh paused. He stood, feet apart, fists raised. His chest was heaving as he tried to catch his breath, but his expression showed he was ready for more. Fracas stood, dazed from the onslaught. He swayed slightly, nearly collapsing. Fracas gasped for breath, and glared at Joh with blackened eyes. Joh glared back at the larger Gargoyle. But his face showed no pleasure from the fight. Only contempt.

"Pathetic." Joh said, shaking his head in disgust, "You're an insult to the warrior title." Joh looked Fracas in the eye, and then said, "Next time you call me weak, be sure you can back it up." With that, Joh turned his back on Fracas and started back toward the supplies he'd been packing.

Joh heard a few members of the crowd gasp suddenly, and turned just in time to see Fracas lunge at him. The older gargoyle had drawn a hunting blade, and obviously intended to stab Joh in the back.

Joh snarled as Fracas was on top of him, Joh quickly brought his left hand up and deflected the hand in which the blade was held. Joh then used all his strength bringing his right fist up and punched Fracas in the temple. The larger Gargoyle went down and stayed down, the dagger falling from his hand. Joh scowled at Fracas, and then looked at the crowd. Many of the young gargoyles glanced at him. There were no cheers or congratulations. Most of the crowd seemed annoyed that Joh had won. For a moment Joh stared at his clan-mates daring them to challenge his victory. A few met his gaze, but quickly looked away when they saw his barely-suppressed rage. After a moment, the crowd dispersed, pretending the fight had never happened. A few females picked Fracas up and carried him away to tend to his wounds. Joh watched the crowd go then turned back to the supplies and got to work. Joh knew he'd be punished if Sasuke came out and saw the packing wasn't done. As he worked, Joh glanced at the chief's lodge. For a moment, he wondered why Sasuke was taking so long getting his armor ready...

_**-**__**XXXXX**__**-**_

"--So the human-king actually expects you to serve as an escort?" scoffed a copper-skinned female as she ran one hand through the Chief's hair.

"Such nerve! After all he put the Argath clan through that human actually has the nerve to beg our great chief for help!" added a younger, peach-colored female, who was crouched at his hips. She finished tying the chief's thigh-guards into place.

The three of them were in the chief's lodge. Sasuke was waiting impatiently for the females to finish dressing him in his armor. Normally he'd do it himself and be done in half the time it was taking them to do it. But it was tradition for a chief's mate to prepare his armor when he was leaving on a long journey. Sasuke had no mate, so two unmated females had been chosen to do it instead.

The older female finished tying the chief's hair back. "You're not really going to serve that human, are you, Sasuke?" she asked. "Of course not." he responded.

"Then why do you have to go on this quest?" whined the younger female. Deliberately, she stood up and pressed her chest against his back and wrapping her tail around his seductively. Then, after nuzzling the back of his neck, she added, "We need you here for the rainy season."

Sasuke flicked his wings, brushing the young female off. "This season will be no different from the last." he told her sharply. Then he looked at the older female, ensuring she got the same message. The female looked at him for a few moments, and then got back to fastening his armor. Sasuke knew the two females were some of the many interested in obtaining the coveted position of clan-mother. Mating with Sasuke during the rainy season (when Gargoyle females were at their most fertile) was almost certain to produce a child. The female who bore the clan chiefs offspring was assured her place as his mate. Sasuke himself had no intention on counting on a weak female to provide him an heir, so he never took part in the mating season. Not that he wasn't tempted...

"All right!" Sasuke said sharply when the copper-skinned female allowed her hands to drift a bit too low as she fastened his weapons belt, "You've both done enough. Leave me be."

Irritated but saying nothing, the females strolled out of the hut, leaving Sasuke to finish arming himself. When he was done, he paused a few moments to look around at his hut. It was twice as large as most of the huts in the village. Its stone walls were decorated with the weapons of rival males Sasuke had defeated. A large pile of soft animal furs served as the chief's bed. Dozens of human skulls were stacked in a corner. Sasuke smiled at them. They were all that remained of the many humans who had tried to attack the village during his reign. Sasuke wasn't like his father. He never showed mercy.

Sasuke turned to walk out of the hut. But before he did, he turned to the weapons wall and took one specific weapon. A large, heavy-headed battle ax, off its niche. Sasuke stared at the blade, then, with a slight smile placed it in the carrier he wore at his back. It could come in handy, should he and his brother get into a disagreement on the quest. Sasuke hoped they would.

_**-**__**XXXXX**__**-**_

"Sis, could you help me?"

Temari looked up from the dagger she'd been polishing. Her sister was sitting on a tree stump a few feet away. She was trying to tie her thick hair back in a braid. Temari smiled slightly, then put the dagger away and went to her sister's side.

"Thank you," Ino said as Temari ran one hand through her blond hair, straightening it out. "I never could do a braid like you."

"That," Temari said as she worked, "is because your hair is so wild you need a bullwhip and a small wooden chair to manage it."

Ino chuckled at her sisters words. Then, she glanced at the woods absent-mindedly. "D'you think the gargoyles will be much longer?" she wondered aloud. Temari shrugged in response.

"I can't hear you shrug, you know." Ino stated. "Fine, then, I don't know how long the others will take." Temari answered, annoyed.

"What're you so out of sorts about?" Ino asked, glancing at her sister over her shoulder. Temari gave Ino a stern look.

"We're dragged from our homes, threatened and forced to serve a king who's never done our village any favors. How can you NOT be out of sorts?" she stated.

Now it was Ino's turn to shrug. "Oh, I don't know. Seems to me like there's nothing we can do but make the most of it. Besides, it has been boring around home lately, hasn't it? Just think of what we're doing as an adventure. Maybe even an opportunity..." Ino's voice trailed off, and she glanced at a group of young soldiers. One of them met her gaze, and she quickly glanced away.

"A chance to meet eligible males?" Temari asked, raising an eyebrow slightly. Ino shifted, blushing slightly.

"Well... all the males in the village are either too young or are old enough to be my grandfather." Ino answered, "Besides, it seems you've all ready attracted a gander yourself."

As Ino spoke, she gestured to the human wizard, who was trying without success to mount a large, brown horse that had been provided for him to travel on. He'd obviously had little experience with the creatures before, and his methods for getting on top of one seemed a bit off.

"Come on you stupid beast, hold still." Kakashi said to the horse, tugging the reigns to keep the animal from walking away. He gripped the saddle horn with one hand, and the end of the saddle with the other. He tried to pull himself onto the horse, and ended up on his stomach, legs dangling off one side of the horse, head and shoulders hanging off the other. He slid face wards off the horse and tumbled to the ground. The horse snorted, looking almost annoyed.

Temari tried not to smile as she watched, then she glanced at Ino.

"I haven't attracted him." Temari said straightening in an attempt to look proper, "He just found my opinions on elemental magic interesting. He is a level-ten wizard, after all."

"ooOOoo. Level ten?" Ino teased, "He's well on his way to being the next Merlin."

Temari shoved Ino's shoulder lightly in annoyance. "Quiet, you," she said, "I specifically remember a time when you could never transform without ending up sporting a tail for a week."

Temari finished braiding Ino's hair, and then stood up. "Double-check to make sure the supplies are packed." Temari told Ino. As she spoke, she glanced back at the amusing spectrum of the young wizard grappling to get on the horse. Ino smirked and got up, walking over to check on the supplies. As she did, she passed Vaguer, who was talking to several servants, busy loading the egg's box onto a pair of dark horses.

"Be careful! If you drop that the king will have your heads!" The cloaked man hissed. The servants worked carefully. From the looks on their faces, it was clear they knew the king would make good his threat. Temari stared at Vaguer as the hooded creature shook his head, apparently disgusted with his terrified servants. Vaguer wasn't a tall figure. He may have been a bit shorter than her sister. Temari couldn't make out the face, well shadowed by his hood. She noticed that he spoke with an unusual accent. It had a tone like a harsh whisper, and vaguely caressed every 'S' it used. Temari frowned. She sensed the creature wasn't human. He didn't seem to be like any being she'd encountered before. Temari continued to stare at Vaguer, wondering...

_**-**__**XXXXX**__**-**_

"Remember, when the time is right, I'll give the signal, and then you act." Sasuke told Joh. The Gowordon nodded, focusing straight ahead as they approached the castle. Joh finished adjusting the brown cloak he wore; partly to hide his small size, but more so to hide the scars on his back.

Vaguer caught sight of them as soon as they reached the castle. He watched them for a second or so, and then turned to a group of servants. "Ready Hailoch. If the half-breed isn't back by then, send in a few soldiers to go find him."

Just as Vaguer spoke, Naruto emerged from the forest. He wasn't smiling, but a burden seemed to have been lifted from his shoulders. Naruto noticed a few soldiers staring at him, murmrering to each other in low tones. He stopped walking and stared back at them until they fell silent. His eyes narrowed, and after a few seconds the soldiers glanced away.

"Finally." Vaguer said, looking in Narutos direction. He spoke under his breath, so the half-breed didn't hear him. Vaguer then addressed the human captain of the soldiers.

"Tell your men it's time to move out."


	6. Commands

6 Commands

The group traveled through the woods for a few days without running into anything. Naruto was stationed near the Egg, which was born between two horses. The Human soldiers kept the egg in the center of their army, all marching in unison with weapons ready at all time.

On the third day of travel, Naruto noticed that his brothers Gowordon was watching him. The gowordon was still cloaked and concealed, but Naruto could tell it was a young one. The Gowordon walked beside Sasuke, sneaking curious glances at Naruto every once in a while. Naruto ignored him. A curious gaze was better than a hateful gaze. The Gowordon had probably never seen a half-breed before.

Joh looked at Naruto as he walked beside his chief. Sasuke normally would've struck the young one for being distracted, but he mistook Joh's expression of confusion for disgust, and that amused him.

"Revolting, isn't it?" Sasuke said to Joh, "Remove the horns and stumps, he'd look just like a human."

"Was his mother really a human?" Joh asked, still looking at Naruto.

"Yes," Sasuke stated, "One of the kings wenches. The chief had a son all ready, so he knew there was no reason to take another mate. But it was mating season, so when the wench was captured by the village, she made him an offer he was too stupid to refuse. It's almost pathetic. I don't know what my father saw in a disgusting human."

Joh kept staring at Naruto, then said, "Uncle, he has markings like I do."

Sasuke glanced at Joh, his black white eyes narrowing slightly. "Your worthless father had markings as well, as did my sister; your mother. These markings are rare in the clan, but they seem to run in our family."

Joh nodded, but he glanced at Naruto once more.

"Did he once have wings, like I did?" Joh wondered, staring at the curved spikes that sprouted from Naruto's back.

Sasuke snorted, "Of course not. The half-breed was born as wingless as a worm. You and he are different. If your drakool of a father hadn't torn them off, You'd have wings just like a normal gargoyle."

Joh fell silent. He hated hearing about his scars. The muscles in his back twinged, but he ignored them. Joh's expression softened slightly. Everytime Sasuke mentioned his father, he couldn't help thinking of the mother he could barely remember.

"Did he know," Joh asked, "About my mother? I mean, she was his sister too." Suddenly, Joh looked hopeful. He glanced at Sasuke, "Uncle, maybe he remembers something about her you don't. Maybe--"

Joh's words were cut off when the Gargoyle chief turned and struck him, dealing him a harsh blow to the temple. Joh clutched at his head, the pain bringing him to his knees.

"You will not speak to the half-breed," Sasuke stated, his eyes glowing a dim red, "Under any circumstances. If I so much as see you near him, I'll give you a thrashing you won't soon forget, boy."

"Yes, chieftian." said Joh, standing unsteadily. His head ached, but he knew better than to complain.

Sasuke stared at Joh, as if considering whether a single blow was punishment enough. Joh stared back at him, but his uncle didn't strike him again. Instead, he continued talking.

"Naruto," The gargoyle chief spat out the name, as if it left a bad taste in his mouth, "Is a kind of filth more loathsome than the humans. I'll not have my most loyal Gowordon rubbing shoulders with a half-breed. Besides, he never even knew he had a sister."

"I'm sorry, Uncle." Joh responded, still stinging from the blow. Sasuke didn't answer, and the two of them continued on in silence until they reached the next town.

"Ahead of us is a small trade villiage," Vaguer announced as the group caught sight of distant lights. He glanced back at the procession behind him, "When we reach it, the summoned will stay with me in the inn, as will the most capable of the kings soldiers. You will receive further orders in the morning."

Many of the kings soldiers were visibly cheered by the news. They stopped sulking and chatted with each other as they walked. A group of soldiers near the caravan joked about how nice it would be to visit the local tavern, while others seemed more interested in buying a room for the night and sleeping in a soft bed.

The gargoyle chief could hear what they were saying. A scowl crossed his face.

"See how weak these humans are, boy?" Sasuke said to Joh, who walked beside him. "They can't even travel for a few days without whining for a bed and drink."

Joh didn't answer. Secretly, he was glad they'd be stopping for the night soon. He was tired from carrying the chiefs supplies. It was also hard remaining constantly vigilant, especially with so many humans around. He would never admit his weariness to the chief, though. Joh knew from experiance that any signs of weakness would be punished.

Sasuke stopped suddenly, laying a heavy hand on Joh's shoulder.

"You're stronger than a human, aren't you?" Sasuke said, ""I didn't make a mistake choosing you as my Gowordon?"

Joh stared at his uncles hand. He felt the points of four claws resting lightly against his skin. He knew the kind of pain those claws could inflict, the damage that hand could do...

Joh fought the urge to shudder. He forced himself to look directly into Sasuke's blank eyes.

"No, my chieftain." Joh said, "I won't disappoint you."

Sasuke looked at Joh. The chief showed no emotion. After a moment, he took his hand away.

"I'm sure you won't." Sasuke stated. He walked past Joh, and the young gargoyle gave out a silent sigh of releif.

"Oh, and Joh?" Sasuke said.

"Yes, Uncle?" Joh answered.

"When we get to the Inn, I want you to stand guard outside my room. Just in case the humans try something."

Joh was silent for a moment before answering, "Of course, Uncle, I won't let you down."

"I'm sure." Sasuke responded before continuing on. Joh didn't see, but the Gargoyle chief had a slight sigh on his face.

Joh stood still for a little while, then lifted the packs he was carrying and followed his chief, wearily. He tried not to think about the long night ahead.

**-_XXXX_-**

Here's chapter 6, sorry it took so long and that it's so short, my co-author and I tried to convey the relationship between Sasuke and Joh in this chapter and show how manipulative Sasuke has been to Joh and the lies that will be shown he's also told the young half-breed.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and again sorry it took so long and is shorter than the others.


	7. AN

Due to complications with my co-author, I'm sad to say that The Demon Egg will no longer be updated. I've tried since last July when the last update was made to work with her but she was being.... Difficult, to say the least. Just yesterday I recieved an e-mail from her telling me that she would no longer work on the story with me and that I wasn't to try and continue it on my own since alot of the ideas were hers as well.

I'm very sorry to those that liked the story and would've liked to see it continue. Now she said that I couldn't continue with it but she didn't say anything about me not putting it up for adoption to let another author who might like to tackle it continue with the story. If anyone would like to try and continue this adventure PM or e-mail me and I'll let you know some of the ideas I had for it so you could continue on from there or just start writting and take it in your own direction.

Blackmoon7875


End file.
